New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Hi all, I am an old GL fan and have known Gordon and the band casually since the 1980's. Met them years ago at the old Oakdale Music Theater here in CT. Hung out with them many times backstage and other places. Great bunch of guys. I never got around to the net stuff as there was no forum when I first visited another site bearing his name. I watched it occasionally for news when he was ill. I last saw him at the Mohegan Sun Casino here in CT.. Barry said he loved the place and would be booking it again. I kept watching the Sun site for them but nothing. Finally a friend told me today, she heard he was coming to Ct., but Waterbury instead. So I go online about schedule, and what do I find out, Barry Harvey passed away in Dec.. I am in shock, I had no idea, I liked Barry, a very cool manager, nice guy, and fun guy, I sure will miss him. Last time I saw him he was holding a bucket of quarters which he had just won at the Sun Casino and he was happy as all heck. At least I will always have a good image of my last time seeing him.
As for Gordon, on stage he was excellent as always, and backstage he was very nice and gracious as usual, plus he is always entertaining, as he has a few thousand stories he can tell. He ought to write a book, sure would make for some interesting reading. Well anyway nice to be here and sorry I wasn't sooner.

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Better late than never. Looking forward to your stories.

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Thanks, I guess I could tell some stories, but I have to be careful about what. Nothing bad ever happened mind you, but was sometimes private info. One story I could tell was about Rick Haynes's bus, he told me this years ago. I don't know if any of you ever heard about this and it might be old and not so interesting to some, but anyway, best I can remember, he had this bus, a Greyhound (I think, hard to remember), it was converted to a camper type. He was taking it on a trip or holiday, with the family and they were at Cape Cod in Massachusetts. They were at Provincetown and when he was turning around, he backed up onto the front of the main pier there, well he put it in gear to go forward and the flywheel let go on it. He was stuck on the front of the pier. The flywheels on these busses are huge and weight over a hundred pounds and take a lot of work to fix. Needless to say, Rick did not have a good trip. I think he probably got rid of the bus when he got back home. I guess he could laugh at it now, but back then he wasn't too happy telling me the story.

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Welcome to CORFID! Glad you finally found us..
Yes, sadly Barry passed away suddenly last December and last week at Massey Hall it was very different without him there..

FIll us in with any stories you may have about your chats with Gordon, if you play guitar, fave songs, concerts you've attended, other artists you like.. etc.

Char

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Thanks Char.
I guess I can fill you in with some about me in this post, I play some guitar, and drums, but not really much anymore. Getting old takes you away from it, unless you are like Gordon and it is your life. Still have my old Martin D28 from 1969, and a set of Slingerland drums from 1968. I was a fan of Gordons since the Folk Music days. I went to many concerts of Gordons here in Ct. from early 1980's through 2006, hung out at some of the pubs after the concerts, and some of the hotels/motels. I have a few pictures with him and the guys, and some autographed albums and photos. There was a Pro photographer here in Ct. that took some pictures also, but I lost his address and never got them. I can remember when Gordon even refered to himself as 'El Rotund', when he had put on lots of weight, back in the Blackberry wine days. No longer that for sure. Oh, I didn't mention that Barry had me try to talk Gordon into getting tee shirts made up, it didn't work of course. Gordon never felt it was right, as it would be ripping off his fans due to the high cost the sellers put them at. I can see his point. I was going to have one made up to see his reaction, but he might have not liked it, so I didn't. I was going to put on it, Gordon Lightfoot, Singer, Songwriter, A Legend. I still think it might have been neat anyway. Maybe someday in honor of Barry.
Another time, too late at night now. :)

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Welcome to CORFID John,

Always nice to have a new Lighthead or Corfidian. Great stories, Im sure you have more. That Martin D28 must sound pretty good ! :)

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Thanks, and I was born in Taunton, Mass., just haven't lived there since the 70's. I doubt Gordon authorized those shirts, probably someone doing it on thier own accord. But then at $10 per shirt, it is not a rip off and maybe he did ok it.
The Sun show was excellent and he sounded better than he did in Torrington, which I seen just about 6 months before he got ill. I wonder if the illness was already effecting him at the time as he sounded a bit strained at that time, but then it could just have been too much toward the end of a tiring tour, which probably didn't help the illness part either. I heard some of the audience talking at the Sun, and they really enjoyed his show and they were remarking how good he sounded. I told tell him and Barry that after the show, and I think they really appreciated it. That is when Barry mentioned about coming back to the Sun. I also gave him some static on his smoking just after the illness. As he said, "we all have to have some vices" I remember he said that same thing to me about 10 years earlier in a lobby at a motel when we were sitting around talking, and I said "I was surprised he smoked", that was after he gave up alcohol. I bet he's still smoking. Whatever, it never hurt his singing, and we all have to have some vices. :biggrin:

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Yes, it did last time I strung it up. Right now it is in the case with loose strings. It really had nice tone and resonance. Back around 1980, I was offered a $1000 for it by a country singer, due to the way it sounded. But I didn't sell it. It is getting old like me, so I hope we both keep our tone.

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

The T-Shirts and sketches sold outside Massey are not authorized by Lightfoot or EMP. Those folks show up at all kinds of venues around town.. He has never sold anything (perhaps some CD's a few years ago) at Massey. He doesn't want his fans beholden to purchase things. They are there for the music..
He's still smoking...and Barry smoked as well..
There's been much discussion about the changes in Lightfoots voice since the drinking stopped and the weight loss of the early 80's and the smoking and then in 2002 the abdominal hemorrage....plus the fact that he, like us has aged..

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

I don't think he will ever authorize a shirt or anything. The money isn't important to him either. Yes I knew Barry smoked also, so didn't a bunch of my friends who it helped move into the icky gloom. I never did. As for his voice, I know like anyone when you get old, you lose the high range and so has Gordon, ('Beautiful' sung differently in the last 8 years or so, is the main example) but he had the smoothness and long resonance of breath when he sang at the Sun. Haven't heard him lately, so I hope it all is still holding up. Waterbury concert is coming soon, but I can't make it unfortunately. I rather see him at Bushnel in Hartford. He has never come back to the Oakdale Theater since it has been renamed and rebuilt. As I told Barry and Gordon, the sound is real mushy when you put in a band, but is ok with only a singer and one instrument. Probably the same old sound equipment, but lousy acoustics in there now. I seen Jonatha Brooke at the Ridgefield in Ct. and the sound was pretty good there, she puts on a nice show with some excellent music, and with some fun chat with the audience. It isn't big, as it was an old high school auditorium, but would be nice to see him there. Hal Ketchum is going to be there this year, just might go to that. I am waiting for Brandi Carlile to come around also. Her The Story cd is excellent. I might have a long wait though, she is from Seattle and was in Boston, Mass. recently. You are in Toronto, so I guess you must see Gordon often, and know him and the guys also.

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Hi John. I'm in CT too, and went to the last concert at the Sun, both of the shows in Torrington, all the shows at the old Oakdale....you get the picture! Chances are we've even run into each other backstage a time or two. Too bad you won't be able to go to the Waterbury show. He'll be nearby in Sept too, Northampton, Purchase, Cambridge. It's good to live in New England sometimes!
Jenney

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Hi, I probably have seen you, a time or two. I don't like traveling much to concerts anymore if they are over an hour away, so I don't think I will make those out in Mass. shows either. Plus the gas is getting hard to live with now on long distance trips. Plus the cost of the tickets now is really getting bad. I see waterbury has a few left at $93 on up to $234. Gone are the days of the reasonable ticket prices I guess. Gordon should put a limit on those, or allow tee shirts to bring down the cost of concert tickets. Or maybe it is the new manager or the place setting the newer high prices. I don't know, but with the tax added, $100 and up tickets aren't cheap anymore.

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Yes, been to the Sun too many times, and left much wampum at both casinos. I am on a cut back and now have lost my VIP status too. I gave them both enough, and am tired of the cutbacks in machine percentage payouts and comps. I might go about once a month nowadays. Just is too lopsided to enjoy anymore. I still get some free show ticket offers, but there are only a few performers that I care to see. GL of course, Hal Ketchum, Brandi Carlile, Jonatha Brooke, Roger McGuinn, Mandy Moore (ok don't laugh, she has an excellent voice and has grown up) The Guess Who, The Byrds, and a few others.

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Yep - I've been going to Massey Hall since 1975 to see Gord and many others performers. I've seen Hal Ketchum 3 times here but just in some bar venues back 8 - 9 years ago. He never gets back up here..probs with customs I think..illegal substances..?? He may have been out west a few years ago..I forget to check his website but do get alerts as to his tour locations..
He's a great act tho..I have most of his stuff..and a pic of the two of us somewhere too..lol
Ticket prices for Lightfoot shows really took off 18 - 24 months ago...He was off the tour for a couple of years from late 2002 to early 2005 so is trying to recoup $$$ probably..lol
Gordon and the band are very nice and are more than generous with their time with many fans..it's greatly appreciated by all.

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Welcome JohninCt. I am a New Englander too, started in Mass now in NH and can be see with Jenney and our other Lighthead friends, Susan and John, at most NE concerts. I have been to Toronto twice to see Gord perform at Massey Hall, although not this most recent time.

Rick has told us the bus story too. He did say that the townspeople were very accommodating, helping out with the repairs and putting him and the family up in their homes.

I don't know where you are getting your ticket prices for Waterbury, but I was just at their site and they still have tickets left and the primo ones are $58.25...the least expensive, $40.25 which includes the tax and fees. But then again you said you can't make that one. So I would suggest that you check out Wayne's site at www.lightfoot.ca (there is a link at the home page here on corfid) and it gives the schedule and a link right to the theater to see which one you might be able to make.

While ticket prices for a Gord concert have gone up in price, as our Char Lady just said, with the exception of a very few venues, I've never seen them in the price range of the $100/$200 that you are quoting if you deal directly with the venue box office. Course gas prices is a whole 'nother subject. Blech.

Yes, it was an awful shock to hear about Barry. I have yet to go to a concert since his untimely passing. I am going to Waterbury and while I look forward to the concert, I am dreading that first reminder of his absence when I don't see him out in the audience, greeting fans and friends before the show. :(

Look forward to seeing you at some future concert.

Diane

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

I went to some concert schedules and they had links to the prices I quoted. One was Ticketspot and the other was something like that. I didn't look at the Palace box office, guess I should have just gone there. Thanks for the info. It had me concerned about the skyrocketing prices. As for the oil prices, it seems no end is in sight, and that is going to hurt real bad, come winter here in Ct..

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

I made some changes to my schedule, and just booked a ticket to GL in Waterbury, been 2 years so I just had to do it. Got an Orchestra seat on isle. in H, $56.00, directly from Palace box office. They even still had some pit seats available. Neck cramps? Much more reasonable than the ticketspot and 2 other sites that I got sent to before by links, who were in the $93.00 and up range and $234 for orchestra seats. They sure do mark them up. Seems like a lot of tickets are still available. A friend of mine told me she heard an ad on the radio for the concert. I didn't see any TV ads yet either, with less than a month, they got to get busy with the promos.

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

That's great John. Yeah, those kind of places (ticketspot, etc) really do some price gouging. And sometimes they are the ones responsible for a concert selling out in minutes cause they buy a large section of tix from the box office to turn around and resell them at outrageous prices. That's why it's always good to start with the box office. Glad you made some changes and grabbed yourself a ticket.

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Hi JohninCt. Sorry to hear that you just heard about Barry, but the story of the bucket of quarters was bittersweet. Reminds me of the first time I went to a casino. Didn't even know about exchanging the quarters for dollars at a window. I never met Barry or any of the band really. Been to two concerts. The first one, I was kind of close to the stage. Sometimes I wish that I didn't go ever because he 'stole' my heart. Maybe he didn't mean to, but he did. I try to forget sometimes.

Hey Pam, the first time I ever heard of a casino on an Indian reservation, I thought it was about the strangest thing I ever heard. I never could get into going to those places that much.

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

.... but really, about forgetting, I don't think I should. Gone that route before and it just doesn't sit right. Better to endure heartbreak.

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

You wouldn't have to worry about changing the quarters anymore, the machines are almost all ticket out machines now, and you redeem the tickets for cash when you are done, or keep putting them in other machines until you are broke, which is the normal in most cases. I guess you mean Gordon stole your heart. He is a mild mannered soft spoken guy, and his songs can give a great idea how the man thinks and sees things, quite a person. What he says is law, when it comes to the songs to play and what goes on at the concerts. Like most performers who have worked hard to get to where they are, they have very positive personalities and are in control of what goes on around them most of the time. Even though nowadays, the young ones really seem to lose control real easy. Mainly due to drugs it seems.

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

It wasn't what he sang. There wasn't any control thing going on there. Not sure what you meant. You mean he chose the songs to sing before he got there? I figured he probably does that.

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

... then again, it did break my heart just a little bit that he didn't sing Rainy Day People, but that's okay cuz he sang it the at next concert I saw. :)

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Just so you understand, I mean he wants things done right at his concerts with no mess and he controls pretty much what goes on with the music. No, not with peoples heads. As far as I understand he does pretty much pick out ahead of time which songs he sings, but he usually allows some requests also. I know he forgets some songs due to writing so many and not playing a lot of them anymore.

Re: New here, but not to Gordons music
 

Hello! ....... and a big welcome to you John in CT! :)

My name's Borderstone (Walter) and while I'm not from CT,I am (origianlly) from Erie,PA just about 30 miles from Lake Erie. I live in Phoenix,AZ actually.
Much like you I have met,received autographs & had my picture taken with both Gord & Terry. This was just last year in Jan. '07.

I've pretty much known of Gordon since hearing Sundown in 1974 but never really thought much about hs music until Aug. of 2001 when,for no real reason other than curiosity,I bought the 4 CD Box Set,"Songbook". I've been a fan ever since. ;)

Thanks for joining our party here in this Hangdog Hotel Room :biggrin: ,the more the merrier! ;) Have a great day and thanks for the stories. :)